Jonas put together the best itinerary for our trip across Peru. He selected the best destinations for our family (my husband, myself, 7 yo daughter, 5 yo son, and my parents). Our accommodations in the Amazon region were amazing. The ******** had wonderful food each day and the tour guides were great. The hikes were very interesting and we got to see a lot of plants and wildlife. From the jungle, we were off to Ollantaytambo. This was such a great little town. Our accommodations at the Samanapaq were perfect. Great location, the staff were awesome. From here we took the train to Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu was amazing, as expected. Once in a lifetime place to go. Our private guide was very knowledgeable. He went at our pace and was able to take many pictures of our family along the way. The next day we spent touring the Sacred Valley, where we visited the agriculture terraces, the Ollantaytambo site, the salt mines and the town of Chinchero. Again, our tour guide was knowledgeable and accommodating. Our next stop was Cusco. This city was amazing and very easy to navigate. We visited the Chocolate museum, did a bus tour of the city, sampled some of the local cuisine. Jonas was able to make reservations for our family at Uchu Peruvian Steakhouse. This was by far the best meal of the trip. The steaks were brought out on hot lava stone and everything tasted amazing!! After Cusco, we headed to for Paracas to visit the Ballestas Islands. We were able to see so many different bird species, one of the Nazca lines (the candelabra), and many sea lions. The islands themselves were beautiful with arches and interesting geology. Our next destination was Huacachina. We had no idea what to expect here, and let me tell you, this was my kids favorite place. Our hostel was in the perfect location with easy access to restaurants and the dune buggys. The dune buggy ride was definitely a thrill! We were laughing, screaming, and having the best time. We sand boarded down a few of the dunes and ended our ride watching the sun set over the dunes. What an amazing adventure.
This is the first trip where I didn't plan everything myself. Jonas really did plan the perfect trip for us. We were able to see so much of Peru and we made memories we will never forget.
